


Burning Love

by unbearable_writer



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canonical Character Death, Dancing and Singing, Dragons, F/M, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Guilt, Loving Marriage, Reunions, Viking Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-30
Updated: 2017-10-30
Packaged: 2019-01-26 21:37:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12566736
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unbearable_writer/pseuds/unbearable_writer
Summary: This is a quick journey through Valka's feelings, thoughts and doubts concerning the unexpected reunion with her long-lost husband, son and... haunting memories.It is based on real scenes from HTTYD2, that appeared in the film - I just... described them with words, instead of animation ;) (there may be some extra scenes, that we all imagined they had taken place, but weren't actually shown in the movie...)





	Burning Love

**Author's Note:**

> If you want to share my work somewhere else, please leave credit and link to the original, thank you!  
> How to Train Your Dragon franchise (based on Cressida Cowell’s books) belongs entirely to the Dreamworks Animation Company.
> 
> Please, let me know if you enjoyed it, by leaving small kudos, or even a coment below - it means a lot <3

_People are not capable of change._

_Some of us are just born different, built a certain way..._

_And Stoick the Vast was certainly built the Viking way. He has always been stubborn - unmovable like a stone - demanding, brave, awe-inspiring and strict. Features of a great chief, indeed. He was impulsive too - he could raise his tone just a tiny bit, but it was enough to make people listen to him. He had that resonant, commanding voice, that beamed from his impressive posture and cut the air, like a powerful gust of cold, northern wind. He was strong like a mountain and could break the trees in half, if he only wished to. But he had never used his strength for bad purposes, instead he used it to protect - protect me, our son and the rest of the village. He was firm, intimidating, authoritative - like the roaring ocean during a storm... He was everything from the man, who is standing before me right now._

As soon as he saw me and his eyes locked on me, he... dropped his sword. _And Stoick never dropped his sword._ I keep watching him with caution, as he quickly reaches for his helmet and takes it off carelessly. He continues staring at me with wide eyes, but does not say anything. _And_ _Stoick was never speechless._ I quickly wash the expression of disbelief and sadness from my face, and look down to compose myself.

**_"I know what you're gonna say, Stoick..."_** \- I hear my own, calm words leaving my mouth, breaking the tense silence. ** _"How could I have done this?"_** \- this time my voice trembles as his gentle gaze meets mine. He stands there, perfectly still and not moving a muscle - completely frozen. _And Stoick never froze._ I feel the guilt welling up in my chest, so I breathe out to keep my emotions in check. **_"Stayed away all these years? And why didn't I come back to you? To our son?"_ ** \- my own words immediately start to turn against me. They are full of regret and... despair. No. I am not the only one, who should feel guilty. I take on my defensive tone again and begin to speak. **" _Well..."_** \- I pause for a moment to see him finally move from his place. **_"What sign did I have that you could change, Stoick? That anyone on Berk could?"_** _-_ he carefully and slowly approaches me, one foot after another... It melts my flawless, proud facade in seconds. I am afraid of this Stoick - he is too calm, to collected, too... stoic. I hear Cloudjumper's growl behind my back and I know the dragons are responding to my sudden state of panic. **_"I pleaded so many times to stop the fighting, to find another answer, but did any of you listen?“_** \- my voice is far from being tranquil and my thin shield is breaking up every second - my confidence shrinking along with it. He should have said something by now. He should have stormed all the way to me and throw everything in my face - all the pain, grievances, anger, disappointment, heartbreak. I abandoned him. I deserve everything, but compassion, empathy... and his loving gaze.

**_"I know that I left you to raise Hiccup alone..."_** _-_ I lift my staff and grasp it with my both hands as a gesture of defense. He is very close now... so close, that I can see the gray strands in his once-flaming-red hair and beard. He takes another step and another, and another... **"... _but I thought he’d be better off without me."_** \- he raises his brows in confusion at my words, but does not stop. I look over my shoulder and take a step back. There is no other way out and I feel trapped - trapped in my own emotions, that I carried in my heart through all this years... and they start to overwhelm me. I feel the tears begin to well up in my eyes as I go on with my cracking voice. **" _And I was wrong, I see that now, but…"_** \- I stop suddenly, when my back hits the firm, icy wall behind me and a gasp escapes my mouth. I turn my gaze to look at his face - much older since I had last seen it and sort of tired... marked with a few visible wrinkles - and then right into his forest green eyes. _There is no anger in them._ **" _Oh stop being so stoic, Stoick."_** \- I slightly raise my voice in concern, as I notice him slowly reaching out his left hand. _**"Go on... SHOUT, SCREAM, SAY SOMETHING-"**_ \- my desperate words are cut off by the sudden touch of his huge palm, gently and delicately cupping my face. I shrink unwittingly at the unexpected contact and stare at him with wide eyes. I feel like the whole eternity is passing us by, as we look at each other with uncertainty. All at once, his expression softens even more and both joy and relief appear on his face. And then the time stops at his words.

**" _You're as beautiful as the day I lost you..."_**

I instantly feel the weight of these ten words. The amount of emotion they are carrying. I cannot take this any second longer, so I break. I close my eyes and let a single tear fall on my cheek, as I lower my head. The tight grip on my staff loosens and I feel every muscle in my body going numb. _The day I lost you..._ \- I hear his words echoing through my mind. His charity, calmness and a complete lack of anger are the worst possible tortures to me. Because now I sense and welcome the burden of all these past twenty years. And when he lays a soft kiss on my lips, they all come back to me, one by one. Everything becomes black and white and I finally understand, that I was wrong all along. As we break apart, I gulp the longtime guilt down my throat. Once again, I look deep into his eyes and I see the final proof in them.

_People are capable of change._

 

This realization hurts even more, when I see him approach his magnificent and imposing dragon. My eyes wander from the creature's remarkable horns, over his armored neck and jackhammer-like maw to the strong, pointed wings and clubbed tail. _The Rumblehorn._ _Impressive._ I hear Stoick call him Skullcrusher, as he pets the dragon's huge head and it puts a wide smile on my face - I could not imagine my dear husband not giving his fellow dragon a mighty name, truly worthy of a warrior. I see an extraordinary bond between them - based on mutual respect and trust - and along with Cloudjumper, I admire them from nearby. Our eyes meet and he beckons me over to join him by his dragon's side. I take a few steps forward and let my hand slip into the palm of his outstretched hand, and I smile even wider when his fingers curl around mine in a loving gesture. I allow Skullcrusher to sniff my other hand and I watch as he confidently nudges it with his nasal horn. I tenderly stroke his lower jaw with my left palm, while keeping the right one in Stoick's warm grasp. His hands, which once used to kill - are now caressing both his dragon's and my skin.

Once again...

_People are capable of change._

These words are still echoing through my mind, even though I try so hard to focus on my son's excited chatter. **" _Mom, you’d never recognize it."_ ** \- Hiccup starts babbling about all of his adventures on Berk for all of the past years, as he helps me prepare the supper. And even when he constantly keeps calling me _Mom_ \- which pours honey all over my love-hungry mother's heart - I still cannot beat the feeling of shame, that I wasn't there for him when he needed me. _He forgave me. He gave me another chance._ Still, it surely could not heal the deep wounds cast by his own mother, not in such short amount of time. **_"You wouldn’t believe how much everything’s changed..."_** \- he goes on. _You're right, my son.. a while ago I wouldn't believe, indeed._

**_"Your son’s changed Berk for the better. I think we did well with this one, Val."_** _-_ Stoick says and adds one more brick to my wall of blame. _YOU did well, Stoick. Not me..._

His enormous hands fall on both of my shoulders and it startles me to the point, that I drop all of the food from the plate right on the floor. I watch with embarrassment as in the matter of seconds, all of the fish end in Cloudjumper's belly, after both he and Toothless quickly took care of the mess. I turn around in humiliation, but to my surprise I see, that this whole situation made Stoick _laugh_.

**_"I’m... a little out of practice."_** \- I explain myself to him and observe as he puts a new portion of fish on the plate, smiling all along.

**_"Well, y'know… I didn’t marry you for your cooking."_** \- And I smile at his teasing remark. For one brief moment I am able to draw my thoughts away and look back in time, to the happy days... If only it was possible in reality, not just in the memories...

**_"And once you move back in, with all your dragons, Drago won’t stand a chance. Everything will be okay!"_** \- Hiccup's words reach my ears as I walk away to fill the earthen pitcher with water, that's dripping from the huge block of ice. _I should_ _stop dreaming._ _It is not possible for me to just 'move back in'._ _I left Berk. There is no place for me there, not anymore._ I cringe as my own dark thoughts cloud my mind and crash what's left of the joy from reuniting with my long-lost family. _Lost because of me._ _I can't come back. Not after what had happened._ _Not after-_

And then he starts to whistle. Not just any other song. It's _OUR_ song. Blurred flashbacks start to appear before my eyes. I blink a few times, but they feel so real...

The sound of his footsteps accompanies the cheerful melody when he approaches me from behind. He takes the pot from my hands and puts it away.

**_"Remember our song, Val?"_** \- Stoick asks gently and I want nothing else, than to shout out ' _Of course I do, my love!'._ But no words leave my mouth. I stay silent, as he sings the first lines of our song.

**" _I’ll swim and sail on savage seas,_**

**_with ne'er a fear of drowning._ **

**_And gladly ride the waves of life,_ **

**_if you will marry me."_ **

Word after word - I remember all of them perfectly. There is no way I could forget the song, that Stoick had sung to propose to me, long time ago. The song we danced to at our wedding, with the applause of the whole Berk. The song that accompanied us, in both good and bad days of our marriage. The song I used to hum to Hiccup to put him to sleep, when he was just a small baby. I missed it so much. _I missed them._

Stoick goes on with the singing and I relax a little, when he delicately caresses my cheek with his palm and then slowly turns my face towards his.

**_"No scorching sun, nor freezing cold_ ** **  
_will st—"_**

**_"WILL STOP ME ON MY JOUR—ney._** **Sorry "** \- Gobber interrupts him with his much more vivid tunes of the song - and probably earns Stoick's famous disapproving gaze for this. I would have found it very funny either, in different situation...

**" _If you will promise me your heart._  
_And love..."_** \- Stoick proceeds and tenderly links our fingers together, as he reaches for my hand and brings it to his heart. His long beard is tickling the skin on the back of my palm and I realize how much I had missed his touch. He looks at me with anticipation. I close my eyes and drift away with the memories for a moment.

_There is no harm in trying, right? So I will try again. WE will try again._

**_" ...And love me for eternity."_** \- I finish for him and I hear the instant relief in his voice, when he sighs deeply. I walk away from him, just a tiny bit, so there's more room for both of us and I continue my singing.

**" _My dearest one, my darling dear,_  
_your mighty words astound me."_** \- I feel the weight of the past twenty years slowly load off my mind as I sing the next lines of the song.  
**"** _But I’ve no need of mighty deeds,_  
_when I feel your arms around me._ " - And then I cannot help, but smile when I reach out my bend arm and Stoick immediately does the same, so our forearms touch and we begin circling together in the familiar rhythm. The memory of the dance steps still fresh in our minds as we pick up the pace of our singing.

**" _But I would bring you rings of gold,_  
_I'd even sing you poetry!"_**

**_"Oh, would you?"_** \- I cut in, as we bump into each other and I laugh it off instantly.

**" _And I would keep you from all harm_  
_if you would stay beside me!"_** \- I smile even wider when he laughs along with me as he sings.

**" _I have no use for rings of gold,_**  
**_I care not for your poetry._**  
**_I only want your hand to hold..."_ ** \- I gracefully spin around in his arms, as the song goes on and our love is renewing before our own eyes.

**" _I only want you near me!"_** \- his words alone are enough to me. There's nothing holding me back right now. So our voices finally unite in one melody...

**" _To love and kiss, to sweetly hold!_**  
**_For the dancing and the dreaming!_**  
**_Through all life’s sorrows and delights,_**  
**_I’ll keep your laugh inside me!_**

**_I’ll swim and sail on savage seas_**  
**_with ne'er a fear of drowning!_**  
**_And gladly ride the waves of life_**  
**_If you will marry me!"_ ** \- Stoick lifts me up with his hands and I feel complete again. There is no room for any more hollow thoughts, when we all laugh together and my husband is still holding me tight in his powerful embrace, as if he meant never to let go again.

**_"Ah... I thought I’d have to die before we'd have that dance again."_** \- he says with a dreamy voice, still panting from the dance.

**_"No need for drastic measures."_** \- I respond with a breathy chuckle and we both stare into each other's eyes, when he kneels and speaks aloud the words, that I would never forget.

**_"For you, my dear... anything."_ **

 

 

_People are capable of change._

_We all are born different. And we die different._

_We just cannot know when and where we die._

_And Stoick the Vast certainly did not expect to die from his son's dragon fire blast._

_To tell the truth, nobody expected that. I would have never believed it myself. But when I pressed my ear to his still chest and I didn't hear the familiar beat, and instead the rumbling silence, I knew..._

_Not even his bravery, stubbornness, impulsiveness, nor strength could save him today._

_Because he did not think of himself, when he rushed to protect our son - the future of all Berk._

And it breaks my heart to see Hiccup like this - as if he already had the weight of the whole world on his shoulders. He doesn't say anything, when we prepare the boat. Not even when we cover Stoick's body with white sheet and place his helmet on top. I painfully see Hiccup grieving on the inside, letting only a few tears fall on his cheeks from time to time. He tries so hard to be strong - for his people... and probably for me. _The spitting image of his father._

We let Stoick's ship sail slowly and I watch as it flows to the open sea, with my late husband's body on board. The mourning silence is broken only by the sound of the cracking fire, that's devouring the remaining wreckages of the abandoned ships. We quietly observe as Gobber approaches with a bow and arrows in his hand, and opens the ceremony with an old, Viking funeral rite.

**_"May the valkyries welcome you and lead you through Odin's great battlefield. May they sing your name with love and fury, so that we might hear it rise from the depths of Valhalla and know that you've taken your rightful place at the table of kings._ **

**_For a great man has fallen: A warrior. A chieftain. A father. A friend."_ **

_A husband -_ I add in my head. _My dearest one..._

I raise up the bow and correct my grip, as I focus on the flaming arrowhead and its target. The tears blur my vision and I can only see the outline of the receding ship, at which I aim my arrow. As I release it, I can only think how the fire will separate us once more, the last time being twenty long years ago.

_So we part again, my love..._

 


End file.
